Fifth grade teacher accused of sex crimes for posting videos of students to TikTok

Former fifth-grade teacher Taylor Cruze is accused of participating in explicit conversations and sexual contact with minors

A Tennessee teacher has been indicted with 19 separate charges for allegedly posting inappropriate TikToks of her young students.

Taylor Cruze, a former fifth-grade teacher at John Coleman Elementary School in Smyrna, a town 24 miles from Nashville, was first arrested last month, perPeople.

A court official confirmed to the outlet that Ms Cruze faces five counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, five counts of exploitation of a minor under 13 by electronic means, and five counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means. She was also charged with three counts of solicitation of a minor — rape of a child, and one count of sexual battery by an authority figure.

The outlet also noted that Ms Cruze has since been released after posting a $100,000 bond.

Ms Cruze was initially suspended without pay when authorities first launched the investigation, but she eventually submitted her resignation in May this year, Fox affiliate TV station WSMV reported.

According to the outlet, Ms Cruze directly participated in explicit conversations and sexual contact with minors.